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HASC Announces New Roster of Subcommittee Leaders

The House Armed Service Committee announced its subcommittees' new leadership on Jan. 23. Architect of the Capitol photo.

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A new slate of lawmakers will run House Armed Services subcommittee hearings in the 116th Congress, as Democrats take control of the chamber for the first time in nearly a decade.

According to a Jan. 23 press release from the committee, four Democrats are flipping from serving as their subcommittee’s ranking member to become the chair: Reps. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities, Jackie Speier of California on Military Personnel, Joe Courtney of Connecticut on Seapower and Projection Forces, and Jim Cooper of Tennessee on Strategic Forces.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the former chairwoman of Emerging Threats and Capabilities, will become its ranking member. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) is doing the same on Seapower and Projection Forces. Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, last session’s chairman of Tactical Air and Land Forces, is now the top Republican on Strategic Forces.

Tactical Air and Land Forces has two new faces in charge, Chairman Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and Ranking Member Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), as does Readiness with Chairman John Garamendi (D-Calif.) and Ranking Member Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.).

Republican Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi will be the ranking member on Military Personnel, after former subcommittee Chairman Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) was unseated last year.

Other departures from subcommittee leadership include Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the former Strategic Forces chairman who offered a key voice in the debate over whether and how to create a Space Force, and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), who will not return as the top Republican on Readiness.

Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), former ranking member on Tactical Air and Land Forces, retired at the end of the 115th Congress. Former Readiness Ranking Member Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) lost reelection.

Committee spokesmen did not answer by press time Wednesday whether the House Armed Services Committee will continue its subcommittee for oversight and investigations.

Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) will also serve as vice chair of the full committee, HASC Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said Jan. 23.